Australian Leafy Sea Dragon Silver Proof Coin

The 1/2 oz Silver Proof Leafy Sea Dragon coin marks the second issue in the Australian Sea Life series. Available now from the Perth Mint, each coin provides a glimpse into the beautiful underwater world surrounding Australia.

With the land ‘Down Under’ hosting some of the most pristine reef environments on the globe, it is no wonder that some of the most beautiful and unique creatures known to man would be indigenous to this environment. The Leafy Sea Dragon is just one example.

A relative of the better known seahorse, the Leafy Sea Dragons are only found around southern and western Australia. They get their name from their appearance, which is similar to a mythical dragon with leafy appendages protruding from the body. These protrusions serve mainly as camouflage making them similar in appearance to seaweed to protect the creatures. They grow to be slightly larger than seahorses, but max out at around 30cm.

The Sea Dragons live off of plankton and small crustaceans found in the reef environment. Similar to seahorses, the males care for the eggs after the female deposits them on their tail. The eggs attach themselves for the nine week incubation before hatching and being left on their own to survive.

Leafy Sea Dragon Silver Coin Specifications

As legal tender under the Australian Currency Act of 1965, the coins have a 50 cent face value. Each also show an image of Queen Elizabeth II of England on its obverse along with the inscriptions ‘Australia,’ ‘Elizabeth II,’ ‘1/2 oz 999 Silver,’ ‘2009’ and the face value.

The reverse shows a colorful example of a Leafy Sea Dragon in green and gold. Struck to proof quality from 1/2 ounce of 99.9% pure silver, the Dragon coin will be limited to no more than 10,000, the same as the rest of the Sea series.

All coins ship in a presentation case with an illustrated shipper and certificate of authenticity for $50.00 AUS from The Perth Mint.